Strategic Projects Grants Program

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Strategic Projects GrantsProgram
UNIVERSITY OF SASKATCHEWAN January 28, 2008
Tom Porter Research Facilitator
966-1317 tom.porter_at_usask.ca
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What We Do at NSERC

• We invest more than 865 million every year in
  people, discovery and innovation

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People
NSERC supports about 12,000 science and
engineering students earning Masters and Ph.D.
degrees
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Discovery
NSERC supports the research of more than 11,000
university college professors
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Innovation
20 of NSERCs budget goes to funding
university-industry research partnerships
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Prosperity and high quality of life for Canadians
Science and EngineeringResearch Canada
Vision and Mission
We invest in
innovation
discovery
EXCELLENCE
Competitive research in science and engineering,
providing access to new knowledge from around the
world
Productive use of new knowledge in all sectors of
the economy and society
people
Highly skilled, well educated and capable of
lifelong learning
Our goal is Canadianexcellence in
WORKING IN ALL AREAS OF SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY Scholarships and fellowships for
undergraduate and postgraduate students,
postdoctoral fellows and some university faculty
USING NEW KNOWLEDGE Partnerships of universities
with industry and other sectors for project
research
CREATING KNOWLEDGE Research Grants for basic
research in the universities
We do this throughpeer-reviewedcompetitionsin
three programs
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NSERC Budget 2007- 08(millions of dollars)
Total 957
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Innovation Programs Budget 2006-07(millions of
dollars)
Total 193
1. Includes College and Community Innovation
Program (0.3M).
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Research Partnerships Programs (RPP)

• Strategic Project Grants (SPG)
• Collaborative RD Grants (CRD)
• Idea to Innovation (I2I)
• Industrial Research Chairs (IRC)
• Research Partnership Agreements (RPA)
• Strategic Networks Grants (SNG)
• Intellectual Property Mobilization Program (IPM)
• Strategic Workshops Program (SWP)

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Why work with Universities?
Canadian Universities

• Perform 1/3 of all RD in Canada are the source
  of 1/3 of all RD jobs in Canada
• Provincially-funded for education, federally
  (28.5) and provincially (12.8) funded for
  research
• Recognize their important role in innovation
• Virtually all universities have a responsibility
  centre for tech transfer
• Universities are important partners in developing
  research parks and incubators

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Advantages of Accessing the Canadian University
System

• PEOPLE
• Access to expertise 10,000 top researchers
• Potential workforce of over 50,000 students in
  advanced studies
• Upgrade your own staff through collaboration
• IDEAS
• Tap into world-class research
• Experts in every natural science and engineering
  specialty
• Working on leading-edge ideas
• Built-in quality control

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Advantages of Accessing the Canadian University
System

• INFRASTRUCTURE
• Specialized facilities, equipment and know-how
• Located at 67 universities throughout Canada
• Linked to you by high-speed communications
• FINANCES
• Available financial support to lower your cost
  and risk
• Company cash and in-kind contributions eligible
• Expenditures are SRED-eligible

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Our Track Record

• 1,300 partner firms since 1983
• Over 60 of Canadas Top 50 RD firms
• Average of 100 new firms every year
• Broad range of eligible partners
• Large companies with RD departments
• Start-up firms with nascent in-house capacity

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Why Participate in Research Partnerships
Programs?

• See the results of your research reach an
  application outside of the university
• Gain access to industry facilities, personnel,
  valuable advice
• Create student training opportunity, access to
  equipment and market knowledge
• Beneficial collaborations that result in
  industrial or economic benefits to Canada

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Strategic Project Grants (SPG)

• Objective
• Increase research and training in targeted areas
  that could strongly influence Canadas economy,
  society and/or environment within the next 10
  years.

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Anticipated Results

• New knowledge/technology with strong potential to
  strengthen Canadas industrial base, generate
  wealth, create employment and/or influence
  Canadian public policy
• Highly qualified personnel trained in the
  identified target areas
• Increased participation of companies and/or
  government organizations in academic research
• Knowledge/technology and expertise transferred to
  Canadian-based organizations that are well
  positioned to apply the results for economic gain
  or to government organizations to strengthen
  public policy

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Requirements

• The research must fall within one of the target
  areas identified for support
• The project must be well defined in duration,
  objectives and scope duration may be from one to
  three years
• One or more supporting organizations that can
  apply the results must collaborate in the project
• Supporting organization must be actively involved
  in all stages of the project. Therefore, in-kind
  contributions are required, but cash is not

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Collaborations

• Outside NSE applicants are encouraged to
  collaborate with experts outside the natural
  sciences and engineering, where appropriate, up
  to 30 of the project costs
• International applicants are encouraged to
  incorporate international collaborations into
  their proposals

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Supporting Organizations

• Canadian-based companies that can apply the
  research results in a way that generate wealth or
  employment (organizations without Canadian RD or
  manufacturing operations will not be considered),
  or government organizations that can apply the
  results in a way that strengthens public policy
• Interact regularly with the academic researchers,
  students and other research personnel and provide
  input on the project
• Validate the results of the research and/or
  provide guidance concerning the exploitation of
  the results

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Seven Target Areas

• Advanced Communications and Management
• of Information
• Biomedical Technologies
• Competitive Manufacturing and Value-Added
  Products and Processes
• Healthy Environment and Ecosystems
• Quality Foods and Novel Bioproducts
• Safety and Security
• Sustainable Energy Systems

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Focused Research

• 3-8 priority research topics identified within
  each target area (80)
• Exceptional opportunities outside the research
  topics but within the target area (up to 20)
• Research outside the 7 priority target areas will
  not be considered for funding

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Research Topics

• Advanced Communications and Management of
  Information
• Network-Intensive Applications
• Ubiquitous Networks
• Management of Information in a Networked
  Environment
• Adaptive/Cognitive Networks
• Advanced Materials, Devices and Supporting Tools
• Software and Computing Systems
• highlighted in national ST Strategy

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Research Topics (continued)

• Biomedical Technologies
• Detection Methods for Use in Whole Organisms
• Computational Tools for Real-Time Signal
  Processing and Analysis
• Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering
• Technologies for Independent Living and in-Home
  Care

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Research Topics (continued)

• Competitive Manufacturing and Value-Added
  Products and Processes
• Value-Added Wood Products
• Near-Net-Shape Processes
• Process Models and Integrated Production Models
• Functional Materials
• Lightweight Materials for Transportation

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Research Topics (continued)

• Healthy Environment and Ecosystems
• Ecosystem Adaptation, Interventions and Modeling
• Water Resources
• Waste Management and Site Remediation
• highlighted in national ST Strategy

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Research Topics (continued)

• Quality Foods and Novel Bioproducts
• Food Quality and Safety
• Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals
• Novel Bioproducts
• Aquaculture

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Research Topics (continued)

• Safety and Security
• Risk and Vulnerability
• Resiliency of Systems
• Event Detection

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Research Topics (continued)

• Sustainable Energy Systems
• Integrated Systems Approach to Electrical Power
  Grids
• Energy Storage
• Fuel Cells and Clean Transportation Systems
• Biomass Conversion and Co-product Optimization
• Systems Engineering Approach to the Extraction,
  Conversion and Utilization of Fossil Fuels
• Clean Coal and Carbon Capture and Storage
• Low Emission Industrial Systems
• Other Renewable Energy Sources
• highlighted in national ST Strategy

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Guidelines for Applicants

• Applicants must
• Select a target area and a research topic from a
  list provided
• Explain in Proposal module (under Introduction
  / one additional page is provided) (1) why the
  proposed research is strategic and (2) how it
  addresses the research topic selected
• Provide a compelling case for consideration if
  the research falls outside the research topics
  but within the target areas listed (Exceptional
  Opportunity outside the Research Topics)

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Typical Strategic Project Grant

• Average grant 130,000/year for three years
• Often involves several team members, from the
  same or different institutions
• Some grants with single applicant
• Collaborators (researchers from the supporting
  organization, government scientist, foreign
  research scientist) may be members of the team

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Why the Strategic Projects Program?

• Significant financial support for up to three
  years for students, post-docs, consumables,
• Although there must be significant involvement
  from the partner, a cash contribution is not
  required
• Probability of success 25-30 in past few years
• Competition focused on specific areas Advanced
  Communications and Management of Information,
  Biomedical Technologies, Competitive
  Manufacturing and Value-Added Products and
  Processes, Healthy Environment and Ecosystems,
  Quality Foods and Novel Bioproducts, Safety and
  Security, Sustainable Energy Systems
• Additional funding available for three areas
  highlighted in Canadas national ST Strategy

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Characteristics of Strategic Projects

• Specific objectives within a specific timeline
  (deliverables)
• Criteria are similar to Discovery Grants but
  projects must also be considered to be STRATEGIC
  (benefits to Canada and non-academic partners) in
  nature, e.g. HQP, scientific excellence,
  originality, quality of applicant(s),
  well-written and logical work plan
• Applicants must have a planned strategy for
  interaction with non-academic partners

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Competition Timetable

• Applications due April 15
• Pre-selection process, if necessary
• External peer review Summer
• Panel evaluation September
• Results announced October

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Competition Statistics
Competition Yr. of Applications of Awards Success Rate
2006 309 149 48.2
2005 420 100 23.8
2004 364 100 27.5
2003 432 110 25.5
2002 306 105 34.3
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Application Process

• Application for a Grant (Form 101)Parts I and II
• Personal Data Forms (Form 100) CVs of
  collaborators
• Company profile
• Form 183A (partners information and
  contributions)
• Letter of support describing partners
  involvement in the project (see instructions for
  specific items to be addressed)

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Eligibility of Applicants

• Applicant and Co-applicants
• Must hold, or have a firm offer of, an academic
  appointment at an eligible Canadian university,
  for
• A tenured, tenure-track or life-time professor
  emeritus position or
• A term position of no less than three years
• College Faculty can be co-applicants (see NSERC
  Website for list of eligible colleges)
• Co-applicants outside NSE must meet NSERC
  eligibility requirements

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Eligibility of Applicants (continued)

• Collaborator
• Government scientist, company staff member,
  research scientist from another country
• Not eligible to hold NSERC grants
• Qualified to undertake research independently
• Expected to contribute to the overall
  intellectual direction of the research project
• Expected to bring their own resources

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Evaluation Process

• External referees
• Typically three per application
• Technical expertise to aid the committee
• Appendix C your suggestions
• Internal selection committee
• Proposal is assigned to three internal reviewers
• Discussion amongst the whole group

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Evaluation Process (continued)

• Selection criteria
• Originality of the research
• Quality of the research
• Project work plan
• Quality of the applicants as researchers
• Training potential
• Interactions with the supporting organizations
• Benefits to Canada and the supporting
  organizations

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Evaluation Process (continued)

• Projects are evaluated against seven criteria
• Each criterion is graded from 1 (lowest score) to
  4 (highest score)
• Each criterion is of equal value
• Only projects that are strong in all 7 criteria
  are eligible for funding

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Selection Criteria

• Originality of the Research
• The project must promise to generate new
  knowledge or to apply existing knowledge in an
  innovative manner.
• Quality of the Research
• The project must be scientifically sound and
  technically feasible. It must fall within a
  specific target area.

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Selection Criteria (continued)

• Project Work Plan
• The project must have a clear and coherent work
  plan that demonstrates a high probability of
  achieving the objectives in the proposed time
  frame.
• Quality of the Applicants as Researchers
• The research team must have all the expertise to
  address the defined objectives competently and to
  complete the project successfully.

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Selection Criteria (continued)

• Training Potential
• The project must provide opportunities to train
  students and other highly qualified personnel
  with skills relevant to the needs of Canadian
  organizations.
• Interactions with Supporting Organizations
• The supporting organizations must have the
  capacity to apply the results of the research and
  must be actively involved in all stages of the
  project.

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Selection Criteria (continued)

• Benefits to Canada and Supporting Organizations
• The proposal must identify how the work will
  benefit the supporting organization and must
  demonstrate that exploitation of the research
  results will benefit Canada within a 10-year
  time frame.

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Originality

• Novelty
• How the research relates to current state of
  knowledge
• Potential for developing new knowledge, products
  or processes
• Extent to which research will impact the field
• Potential for major scientific breakthrough

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Quality of Research

• Focus and clarity of short- and long-term
  objectives
• Appropriate methodology
• Justification for approach based on existing
  knowledge
• Feasibility of research planned
• Does the research fit the Strategic Projects
  target areas?

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Work Plan

• Clarity of project description
• Coherence of deliverables in work plan
• Probability of success within proposed time frame
• Availability of necessary equipment
• Roles and time commitment of research
  co-applicants (collaborative roles)
• Collaboration and communication plans
• Justification and need for funds
• Demonstrated management plan

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Quality of Applicants

• Does the team (including company researchers, if
  applicable) have all the required expertise?
• Form 100 very important
• Recognition of researchers achievements and
  contributions
• Appropriateness of skill sets of individual
  researchers in the proposed areas
• Roles and time commitment of research
  co-applicants (collaborative roles)

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Training Potential

• Who will do the work? Graduate, undergradsand
  co-op students technicians, post-docs and
  research associates
• Is the training relevant to the needs of Canadian
  organizations?
• Will the HQP have the opportunity to work in the
  non-academic partners facility?
• Workshops and training of industrial personnel at
  the applicants lab
• Track record of applicants in training HQP
• Suitability of the training environment

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Interactions with Supporting Organization

• Is the supporting organization a good partner?
• Do the project objectives fit with the priorities
  of the non-academic partner? Remember that the
  partner organization will have to prepare a
  progress report midway through the project!
• How will the technology be transferred?
• Is the non-academic partner able to assimilate
  new technology?
• What is the degree of involvement of the
  non-academic partner in developing the proposal
  and throughout the project?
• What kind of a track record do the applicants
  have in transferring technologies?

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Benefits to Canada and Partner(s)

• Delineate probable socio/economic/health benefits
  in a quantitative wayfar more convincing!
• Is there a potential benefit in creating
  significant public policy as a result of the
  research?
• Is there potential to increase the numbers and/or
  quality of personnel working in an area of
  strategic importance?

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Supporting Organizations

• Private sector
• Canadian-based companies with Canadian operations
  (RD or manufacturing) that can apply the
  research results for economic gain
• Non-academic public sector
• Canadian government organizations that can apply
  the research results to strengthen policies
• Do not qualify as supporting organizations
• NGOs, venture capitalists, government research
  labs, foreign research institutions,
  implementation sites, potential customers.

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Supporting Organizations (continued)

• A supporting organization must also
• Have a demonstrated interest in the project
  (letters of support, in-kind and/or financial
  support, etc.)
• Be involved at all stage of the research (Help to
  develop the proposal, interact with researchers
  and students, provide input to the project)
• Validate the results of the research
• Provide guidance concerning the exploitation of
  the results

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Whats in it for the Partners?

• Access to
• Team of researchers with expertise in a desired
  area to solve a problem
• Technology/idea of commercial interest
• Research facilities and infrastructure that the
  industry lacks
• Potential access to a source of highly qualified
  personnel
• Give companies a competitive edge in global
  markets

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What do Teams Look Like ?
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What do Teams Look Like ?

• Departments involved
• Chemistry
• Biology
• Mechanical Engineering

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The Winning Proposal

• Get partners involved early on to help develop
  the project strategy
• Clear demonstration of the benefits to Canada and
  partner organization
• Multi-disciplinary research is a plus but not
  essential all participants must have a
  demonstrated role in the project!

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The Winning Proposal, (continued)

• FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY!
• Make the proposal and Form 100 easy to read and
  digest use colleagues in non-related disciplines
  to proofread and evaluate
• Objective and work plan must be crystal clear
• If applying for a second or third time, pay
  careful attention to comments of reviewers.
  Address the issues and clearly state how the
  application has been changed!

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Summary

• New target areas with specific research topics
• Funding for proposals in the research area, but
  outside the research topics is limited to 20 of
  the budget allocated to the area
• Applicants must explain why the proposed research
  is strategic and how it addresses the research
  topic
• Supporting Organizations
• Active involvement is essential
• Government fulfilling the Supporting Organization
  requirement Proposal must clearly show how the
  project relates to their public policy
  responsibility (i.e. applying the results to
  strengthen public policy)

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Signs of a good proposal

• All sections are clear and well described
• Clear summary
• Roles well defined (students, applicants )
• Benefits to Canada clearly demonstrated
• Follows guidelines addresses requirements
• Strong partner(s)
• Involvement from the start
• Clear expectations (including IP)
• Good communication
• On-going interaction

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How to

• Get program descriptions
• Go to www.nserc.gc.ca
• Select For Professors in the left margin
• Select Partnership Programs from the list of
  programs
• Select the RPP program you are interested in,
  e.g., Strategic Project Grants (SPG)

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How to

• Get Forms and Instructions
• Go to www.nserc.gc.ca
• Select On-line Services from the top menu
• Scroll down and click on PDF Forms
  Instructions
• Select the instructions or form you need from the
  pull down menus
• 101 - Strategic Project (SPG)
• 183A Orgs. Info for RPP from the For
  Industry

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Whats in the Instructions?

• Form 101 instruction sheet includes
• Form filling instructions and checklist
• Seven evaluation criteria and how they are
  evaluated
• Guidelines on external referee suggestions

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On-line Applications

• Available for most Research Partnerships Programs
• F183A (Information Required from Organizations
  Participating in RPP)
• Must be linked electronically to the proposal
• Can be filled electronically by the Applicant on
  behalf of the Supporting Organization
• Helpdesk
• Telephone [phone]
• E-mail webapp_at_nserc.ca
• APPLICATION DEADLINE April 15

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Conclusion

• Strategic grants fund projects, not programs
• They provide an opportunity for university
  researchers to carry out innovative science and
  engineering work with potential for
  commercialization
• They provide a unique opportunity to introduce
  students to potential employers and an
  opportunity for non-academic partners to access
  scientific expertise and specialized research
  equipment

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Additional Resources
Contact Tom Porter, Research Facilitator
966-1317, tom.porter_at_usask.ca
Cristina Holguin-Pando, Grants Officer
966-2207, cristina.hoguin-pando_at_usask.ca NSER
C SGP webpage http//www.nserc.gc.ca/professors_
e.asp?navprofnavlbib1 NSERC Instructions http
//www.nserc.gc.ca/forms/formtable2_e.htm Research
Services 5 Parts of a Discovery
Grant http//www.usask.ca/research/files/index_a
lt.php?id38